Remember Me? The Swanson52 Log of PL Program Hopping.

Hyde said:
Sorry to hear about your shoulder; that’s some crap news but we’ll see what the MRI shows - hoping that’s not the case.
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Preach it. I’m not trying to have shoulder surgery at 45 years old. I’m about that rehab life.
 
Ended the week at 277.1. Strong week of weight loss, down from 281.4 last week. Feeling pretty good going into my last week before deload then on to 5th Set.
 
Post skipload 288.2
Today 283.2

I decided to just deload this week instead of testing maxes. I tweaked and/or injured myself texting 3rm last week, so I’m just gonna rehab and do some volume stuff.

Today I did all the rows, bis and tris my brain could handle. If my hamstring is up to it, I’ll squat Thursday.

5th Set...I can taste it.
 
Hyde said:
3RM/0.9=~1RM generally
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I’m debating on just an AMRAP with 405 on squats. My 3rm on bench might not matter pending MRI, and but I got a good 3RM on deads I think. Your formula puts my dead around 485. I’d take that.

This 12 week block sucked. I wasn’t prepared for the heavy loading. I’ve never hurt myself training til last week. Lesson learned.
 
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Swanson52 said:
I’m debating on just an AMRAP with 405 on squats. My 3rm on bench might not matter pending MRI, and but I got a good 3RM on deads I think. Your formula puts my dead around 485. I’d take that.

This 12 week block sucked. I wasn’t prepared for the heavy loading. I’ve never hurt myself training til last week. Lesson learned.
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Almost all of my injuries happened in training lol.

The max calculator chart on page like 10 or 11 of the OG 5th Set manual has been the most accurate thing I have ever found, provided my deadlifts were not touch & go.
 
405x6, RPE 8. Back started to fold on 5 and 6.


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Partial RC tear per mri. No surgery, but I’m rehabbing that bitch 2xweek and I’m getting a PRP injection to expedite the process. It’s $800, but I want to get back to 100%.
 
Swanson52 said:
405x6, RPE 8. Back started to fold on 5 and 6.


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Partial RC tear per mri. No surgery, but I’m rehabbing that bitch 2xweek and I’m getting a PRP injection to expedite the process. It’s $800, but I want to get back to 100%.
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Sucks to hear that’s never fun. I’ve never used any peptides for rehab but I’m sure a few on here could help you out. I’m assuming your clinic offers them as well?
 
SkRaw85 said:
Sucks to hear that’s never fun. I’ve never used any peptides for rehab but I’m sure a few on here could help you out. I’m assuming your clinic offers them as well?
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They do. I’m going to check into that as well.
 
Definitely run a 2-3 month cycle of TB500 and BPC157. Pin 2-2.5mg TB500 once a week (it’s long-acting), and use about 2.5mg BPC157 per week total, split into 2 local shots per day of like 100-200mcg each.

Both compounds offer systemic activity but do best to be delivered as local to site of repair as possible.

Also...maybe consider taking those 2 months off loading it to really give it a chance to heal. This would mean SSB squatting, leg machines, hopefully deadlifts, but no pressing. Just a thought. I mean if you are gonna spend so much in peptides and PRP and therapy and MRIs, what’s 2 months off pressing?
 
Hyde said:
Definitely run a 2-3 month cycle of TB500 and BPC157. Pin 2-2.5mg TB500 once a week (it’s long-acting), and use about 2.5mg BPC157 per week total, split into 2 local shots per day of like 100-200mcg each.

Both compounds offer systemic activity but do best to be delivered as local to site of repair as possible.

Also...maybe consider taking those 2 months off loading it to really give it a chance to heal. This would mean SSB squatting, leg machines, hopefully deadlifts, but no pressing. Just a thought. I mean if you are gonna spend so much in peptides and PRP and therapy and MRIs, what’s 2 months off pressing?
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Thanks for the advice. I’m going to hit my clinic up about peptides today.

I plan to take pressing off. It’s not worth hampering progress for a couple months. I’ll def focus on legs and back for the next few weeks.
 
Swanson52 said:
Thanks for the advice. I’m going to hit my clinic up about peptides today.

I plan to take pressing off. It’s not worth hampering progress for a couple months. I’ll def focus on legs and back for the next few weeks.
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If it’s covered by insurance somehow fine but I suspect they’re gonna ream you on the cost. You can get them from any reputable RC supplier like MA Research on your own. Reconstitute with some bacteriostatic water and keep in the fridge.

SkRaw85 said:
MK677 would be another goodie to throw in there.
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This can definitely help but I always need something to account for the increased prolactin then to prevent gyno aggravation. I’m very prolactin-sensitive to be fair.
 
Hyde said:
If it’s covered by insurance somehow fine but I suspect they’re gonna ream you on the cost. You can get them from any reputable RC supplier like MA Research on your own. Reconstitute with some bacteriostatic water and keep in the fridge.



This can definitely help but I always need something to account for the increased prolactin then to prevent gyno aggravation. I’m very prolactin-sensitive to be fair.
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I used to have no problem with prolactin and MK. Last time I was cruising I got prolactin issues. I do use it for about 80% of the year though, probably not anymore lol. I’m only running at 25 mg right now because I’m already using caber. Maximize the compounds baby.
 
So I’m probably not going to have a GHR, Reverse Hyper or SSB at the gym in the city we’re relocating to. Leg curls, good mornings and front squats instead?

Starting 5th Set Monday. I’m doing rows and arms with shoulder therapy on pressing days, with squat and deads as normal. I’ll have an SSB, GHR and reverse hyper for the next 2 weeks, then it’s back to basic gym equipment. I have my macrocycle all planned out...I’ve been (im)patiently waiting for this.
 
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Swanson52 said:
So I’m probably not going to have a GHR, Reverse Hyper or SSB at the gym in the city we’re relocating to. Leg curls, good mornings and front squats instead?

Starting 5th Set Monday. I’m doing rows and arms with shoulder therapy on pressing days, with squat and deads as normal. I’ll have an SSB, GHR and reverse hyper for the next 2 weeks, then it’s back to basic gym equipment. I have my macrocycle all planned out...I’ve been (im)patiently waiting for this.
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That’s what I did this training cycle and had the biggest total yet. And most of the sessions I even scrapped the band leg curls and GM’s due to exhaustion: literally comp squat followed by fronts was all my squat days consisted of the meso leading into the peaking cycle (I did my upper back work on upper days).

If you look at a LOT of legendary squatters (guys who have set the 220 & 242 ATWR), many of them use the frontsquat as the primary strength movement to build their backsquat. Dan Green, Kevin Oak, Jeremy Hamilton, Sam Byrd I know for sure. It really builds the abdominal and upper back strength necessary to stay upright and in decent position. Yes the erectors, hips and hamstrings still have the lion’s share of the work to do on the backsquat, but the added quad power and strength to hold better positioning definitely transfer.
 
Hyde said:
That’s what I did this training cycle and had the biggest total yet. And most of the sessions I even scrapped the band leg curls and GM’s due to exhaustion: literally comp squat followed by fronts was all my squat days consisted of the meso leading into the peaking cycle (I did my upper back work on upper days).

If you look at a LOT of legendary squatters (guys who have set the 220 & 242 ATWR), many of them use the frontsquat as the primary strength movement to build their backsquat. Dan Green, Kevin Oak, Jeremy Hamilton, Sam Byrd I know for sure. It really builds the abdominal and upper back strength necessary to stay upright and in decent position. Yes the erectors, hips and hamstrings still have the lion’s share of the work to do on the backsquat, but the added quad power and strength to hold better positioning definitely transfer.
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Great points sir. I have relied on the comfort of the SSB, but we don’t grow when we’re comfortable. I was messaging Sean, and I’m prob gonna forgo good mornings in place of sldl.

Here’s how I have things laid out

Squat
Front squat
DB incline rows
Sldl

Press rehab
Bb rows
Triceps (tbd)
Hammer curls

Deadlift (speed/technique)
Deficit deads
Leg curl
Shrugs

Press rehab
Dips
Pull ups
Face pulls.

Hit me with the critique.
 
Swanson52 said:
Great points sir. I have relied on the comfort of the SSB, but we don’t grow when we’re comfortable. I was messaging Sean, and I’m prob gonna forgo good mornings in place of sldl.

Here’s how I have things laid out

Squat
Front squat
DB incline rows
Sldl

Press rehab
Bb rows
Triceps (tbd)
Hammer curls

Deadlift (speed/technique)
Deficit deads
Leg curl
Shrugs

Press rehab
Dips
Pull ups
Face pulls.

Hit me with the critique.
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All makes sense to me. I would try to also do a rear delt move on the bb row day if it doesn’t hurt your shoulder (and isn’t already part of your rehab). But looks good to me.
 
Hyde said:
All makes sense to me. I would try to also do a rear delt move on the bb row day if it doesn’t hurt your shoulder (and isn’t already part of your rehab). But looks good to me.
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I’ll do that. I can do everything but press and laterals so some rear delt stuff is no problem. Thanks for the feedback man.
 
Bw 279.4

SQUATS
365x2x4
365x7

I don’t know IF it makes a difference, but I forgot to take my alpha gpc today before I hit the gym, and I was weak af.

Couldn’t do front squats because of the shoulder.

INCLINE DB ROWS
50x8x4

DB SLDL
70x8x4
 
Maybe you can just do high bar work as the supplemental volume? I used to do that with the Cube method.
 
Hyde said:
Maybe you can just do high bar work as the supplemental volume? I used to do that with the Cube method.
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I might just buy an SSB. With me already squatting high bar, do you mean just drop the weight and do volume?
 
Hyde said:
Maybe you can just do high bar work as the supplemental volume? I used to do that with the Cube method.
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I might just buy an SSB. With me already squatting high bar, do you mean just drop the weight and do volume?
 
Swanson52 said:
I might just buy an SSB. With me already squatting high bar, do you mean just drop the weight and do volume?
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Oh I forgot you have a high position. If you can’t raise it meaningfully further (practically speaking; don’t put it on your spine of course lol) then an SSB or Transformer bar could be the solution. If that’s not in the budget of course just doing extra back off volume in your comp squat stance at referenced percentages is always an option.

If you read the sample template in the second book it recommends 2” above parallel boxsquats with an SSB for volume (3x12) as the first mesocycle’s MSM. You could just do these with your normal bar position and it will still be a meaningful training variable by a wide margin.
 
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Got a quote for this stuff from EliteFTS. Could I do it cheaper? Yes, but I support the guys who support us. I’m going to borrow the dough from my 401k. I’ll prob order mid September after we have a house in Lincoln and a dedicated space.
 
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Got a quote for this stuff from EliteFTS. Could I do it cheaper? Yes, but I support the guys who support us. I’m going to borrow the dough from my 401k. I’ll prob order mid September after we have a house in Lincoln and a dedicated space.
 
I could probably do that. My gym now has one and it’s really nice. 12 weeks out though.

Edit: you’re 100% right. I’m going to order the transformer when the time comes.
 
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Met with an amazing PT today. He diagnosed my pain as an inflamed bicep tendon and bursa sac (the RC doesn’t “hurt”). There’s no instability that would prevent me from safely pressing; the pop he thinks was my bicep tendon slipping out of place. He gave me a prehab protocol to reset the bicep tendon, and told me to press light til I feel discomfort then back off.

I’m ok with that.
 
So I pressed. Light by some standards. I couldn’t do anything comp width, so I text my PT and asked him if CHBP was cool-he said go as wide as I could without discomfort, and we’d work on walking my grip out over time. So for now I’m going to do CGBP as my main movement and see how dumbbells feel on secondary day. Work around.

CGBP
225x2x4
225x7. Capped it at 7 because it started to feel a little sketchy.

BB ROW
185x8x4

HAMMER CURL
30x8x4

DB SKULLCRUSHERS
30x8x4

I tried to do rear delt flyes, but that was a no go so I finished up with 10x4 band face pulls.

I’m not focusing on moving weight at all costs on accessories. I’m doing them strict and slow.

BW 278.0
 
Really glad to hear about the RC. Bicep surgery is much easier to come back from than rotator repair, and you don’t even need that! You have the right idea with the priority on rehab over lifting. Gotta rebuild that base.

What did they quote you for a GHR?
 
Hyde said:
Really glad to hear about the RC. Bicep surgery is much easier to come back from than rotator repair, and you don’t even need that! You have the right idea with the priority on rehab over lifting. Gotta rebuild that base.

What did they quote you for a GHR?
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Scholastic GHR was 649.

That Titan GHR/reverse hyper combo has me intrigued though. I wonder how it works/feels.
 
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DEADS Speed/technique
335x3x5

DEFICIT SUMO
225x5x5

GHR
BWx8x4

SHRUGS
225x10x4

I was kinda pressed for time so I supersetted GHR and shrugs. Got a hell of a sweat going.

I really like the volume I did on deads and deficits today. I felt like I was actually doing WORK. I dead stopped all reps, and really focused on pushing my hips through and locking out at the top. Felt good.
 
Swanson52 said:
Scholastic GHR was 649.

That Titan GHR/reverse hyper combo has me intrigued though. I wonder how it works/feels.
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That is a way better price than I expected! Like cheaper than many brands, and an old gym had the Collegiate model and it was easily the best GHR I’ve ever used. Comfort, quality, and adjustability blew the doors off of Rogue or anyone else I have tried. Just easy to use.

I actually might give them a call now for a bunch of quotes. I do like the idea of supporting them also after all the knowledge & content I actually enjoyed they’ve given out for free.

SkRaw85 said:
Eyeing up that one as well
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So I watched and read enough reviews on the Titan combo one and basically people said their GHR for like $450 is great, their economy reverse hyper for $400 is great (as long as the lifter is within the 300lb rating), but the reviews of the combo one said if you are short you won’t reach the GHR on it. And a video confirmed it, saying everyone under 5’10” was too short and their legs fell through, so he had to assemble the GHR pad attachment flipped backwards and then drill his own holes to make it attachable.

My wife is 5’4” so that means I would definitely have to do that, and folks said the length RH pad for your belly is very short on the combo model so bigger lifters will get a ton of pressure using it.

Rogues Donkey is $2k. I wonder what Elite’s combo costs? Might just need to buy the machines separately and find room to make them both fit.
 
Hyde said:
That is a way better price than I expected! Like cheaper than many brands, and an old gym had the Collegiate model and it was easily the best GHR I’ve ever used. Comfort, quality, and adjustability blew the doors off of Rogue or anyone else I have tried. Just easy to use.

I actually might give them a call now for a bunch of quotes. I do like the idea of supporting them also after all the knowledge & content I actually enjoyed they’ve given out for free.



So I watched and read enough reviews on the Titan combo one and basically people said their GHR for like $450 is great, their economy reverse hyper for $400 is great (as long as the lifter is within the 300lb rating), but the reviews of the combo one said if you are short you won’t reach the GHR on it. And a video confirmed it, saying everyone under 5’10” was too short and their legs fell through, so he had to assemble the GHR pad attachment flipped backwards and then drill his own holes to make it attachable.

My wife is 5’4” so that means I would definitely have to do that, and folks said the length RH pad for your belly is very short on the combo model so bigger lifters will get a ton of pressure using it.

Rogues Donkey is $2k. I wonder what Elite’s combo costs? Might just need to buy the machines separately and find room to make them both fit.
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Get with Matt Goodwin. [email protected]

This changed my mind about the Titan piece, as my wife is 5’7”. I’ll ride with the guys that ride with us.
 
Hyde said:
That is a way better price than I expected! Like cheaper than many brands, and an old gym had the Collegiate model and it was easily the best GHR I’ve ever used. Comfort, quality, and adjustability blew the doors off of Rogue or anyone else I have tried. Just easy to use.

I actually might give them a call now for a bunch of quotes. I do like the idea of supporting them also after all the knowledge & content I actually enjoyed they’ve given out for free.



So I watched and read enough reviews on the Titan combo one and basically people said their GHR for like $450 is great, their economy reverse hyper for $400 is great (as long as the lifter is within the 300lb rating), but the reviews of the combo one said if you are short you won’t reach the GHR on it. And a video confirmed it, saying everyone under 5’10” was too short and their legs fell through, so he had to assemble the GHR pad attachment flipped backwards and then drill his own holes to make it attachable.

My wife is 5’4” so that means I would definitely have to do that, and folks said the length RH pad for your belly is very short on the combo model so bigger lifters will get a ton of pressure using it.

Rogues Donkey is $2k. I wonder what Elite’s combo costs? Might just need to buy the machines separately and find room to make them both fit.
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Honestly the Rogue reverse hyper @ 700 bucks and the scholastic GHR @ 650 is pretty reasonable. My gym has the rogue hyper and it’s quality. I’ll add that later on down the line.
 
Did you move into my old apartment?? Lol looks identical to the bathroom we had - is a bedroom directly across from the bathroom door?

Thanks for the info; I will email them.
 
Hyde said:
Did you move into my old apartment?? Lol looks identical to the bathroom we had - is a bedroom directly across from the bathroom door?

Thanks for the info; I will email them.
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Must be a common model lol cuz it also looks identical to the one I just moved out of in NH...and yes there was a bedroom right across the hall.
 
It’s a house, actually. Master bath.

I’m getting ready to go back to apartment living though I think. The home gym might get scrapped for now.
 
So we’re 100% moving into an apartment; I’m just going to order an SSB to take to the gym we’ll be using and roll with that.

Secondary pressing day tomorrow. I ordered a black EliteFTS shoulder saver pad to use on secondary day, per Evolutions.

Skip pushed my load to 6 hours yesterday but I only gained 4.6 pounds.

Happy Sunday kids.
 
So we’re 100% moving into an apartment; I’m just going to order an SSB to take to the gym we’ll be using and roll with that.

Secondary pressing day tomorrow. I ordered a black EliteFTS shoulder saver pad to use on secondary day, per Evolutions.

Skip pushed my load to 6 hours yesterday but I only gained 4.6 pounds.

Happy Sunday kids.
 
Let me know what your experience with the shoulder saver pad is. Been thinking about adding one to my list of things I wanna get. Anyone have any experience with both the shoulder saver pad and bench blockz? Comparisons? Seems like the bench blockz are more versatile but for some reason im leaning shoulder saver.
 
jswain34 said:
Let me know what your experience with the shoulder saver pad is. Been thinking about adding one to my list of things I wanna get. Anyone have any experience with both the shoulder saver pad and bench blockz? Comparisons? Seems like the bench blockz are more versatile but for some reason im leaning shoulder saver.
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I used the bench blokz today and it worked fine. I might cancel and order the 2-5 bd bench blokz honestly. More versatile.
 
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280.2 today.

CGBP 2 Board
205x8x4
The bicep tendon felt a little sketchy on the higher volume stuff. Reps 5-8 were not bad, just not great.

DIPS
BWx8x4

PULL UPS
BWx8,8,7,7

100 reps banded face pulls.

Done in 45 min, warm up to walking out. Can’t beat that.
 
jswain34 said:
Let me know what your experience with the shoulder saver pad is. Been thinking about adding one to my list of things I wanna get. Anyone have any experience with both the shoulder saver pad and bench blockz? Comparisons? Seems like the bench blockz are more versatile but for some reason im leaning shoulder saver.
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I'll second that and say bench blocks are good. Versatile. Lasts forever. I've seen EFS shoulder savers get torn up and worn out. I've seen bench blocks kickin' for much longer.
 
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